Football Season Review

Rochdale entered the season with their main and only goal being to survive in the division, but it soon became clear that Keith Hill's side had it in them to fight for more than that. The Dale have won over a lot of neutrals with their uncompromising dynamic football, as Hill was rarely willing to give up on the quick counter-attacking football that he has become known for during the course of his career. This footballing philosophy has made the Dale a formidable side on their travels, but their lack of ability to open up tight defences had cost them on numerous occasions, as they have dropped points at home to inferior teams on far too many occasions. They were in the play-off race until the late stages of the season only to eventually come up short, and their fans will be left wondering what would have been had the club managed to hold onto Matt Done, rather than sell him to Sheffield United midway through the season. Another thing that has made things difficult for Hill were injuries of regular players, as the likes of Peter Vincenti, Stephen Dawson and Matt Lund have all missed large chunks of the season through injuries. Hill has repeatedly stated that his men were overachieving, given their lack of squad depth and overall budget, and the season that is behind the Dale has to be considered a success despite their eventual inability to break into the top six. However, Rochdale might now become victims of their own success, as several of their key players are likely to become targets of richer clubs during the summer.

Player of the Season: Ian Henderson